Lunch and Learn - Singapore: hosted by ARIA and Biotech Connection Singapore
The UK's Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) is coming to Singapore — and we're bringing lunch.
Join us in Biopolis, hosted with Biotech Connection Singapore (BCS) and NSG Biolabs, for a midday session on how ambitious science gets funded and how ARIA supports researchers pursuing bold, high-risk ideas.
We'll share how ARIA's funding works and which opportunities are open to Singapore-based researchers, followed by a fireside chat and Q&A, then a networking lunch with the ARIA team and the local research community.
This session is aimed at principal investigators and researchers from industries and academics — including those at Singapore's universities and A*STAR — who are interested in ARIA's funding opportunities.
What is ARIA?
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is the UK's high-risk, high-reward R&D funding agency, created to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs by backing research that is too ambitious, speculative, or interdisciplinary to pursue elsewhere.
ARIA operates through Programme Directors: exceptional scientific and technical leaders who spot overlooked opportunities, define bold technical visions, and bring together the people and projects needed to pursue them.
On this visit, the ARIA team is focused on four areas: programmable physiology, computation & robotics, manufacturing, and neurotechnology.
Why this matters for you
ARIA funds high-risk R&D across both academia and startups — and is actively looking to reach outstanding scientists and engineers based in Singapore.
ARIA is about to open recruitment for its third cohort of Programme Directors — applications open in August 2026 for a May 2027 start. This is a chance to hear directly from the team about both funding and the Programme Director role.
Who should attend
Principal investigators and researchers from industry and academics at Singapore's universities and A*STAR
Life-science, biotech, and deep-tech researchers working on ambitious problems
Anyone interested in ARIA's funding opportunities or in becoming a future ARIA Programme Director
Schedule
12:00-12:15 | Registration
12:15-12:45 | Intro to ARIA and funding opportunities
12:45-13:15 | Fireside chat and Q&A
13:15-14:00 | Networking lunch
Speakers
Dr. Ivan Jayapurna (Programme Director @ ARIA): Ivan joined ARIA from the University of California, Berkeley, with a PhD in materials science and engineering. While studying, Ivan co-led several tech spinout efforts, was twice funded by the National Science Foundation I-Corps, and co-founded a technical consultancy for biotech startups.
Dr. Maximilian Sichrovsky (Science and Technology Lead @ ARIA): Trained as a biochemist, Max’s doctoral research at Cambridge focused on mitochondrial biology, using structural and functional studies to understand membrane transport processes. As Science and Technology Lead for ARIA's Precision Mitochondria programme, he works to identify, evaluate, and support the scientific ideas behind the programme's goal of making the mitochondrial genome programmable. Before joining ARIA, he was part of the early-stage biotech ecosystem through Nucleate and the 5050 Venture Fellowship.
Dr. Alice Pettitt (Frontier Specialist @ ARIA): A biochemist by training, Alice work across the organisation to enhance ARIA's capabilities in identifying and developing new programmes. Alice was previously part of Creator Fund, a Deep-tech VC investing in PhD, academic, and student founders across the UK and Europe at pre-seed and seed.
Dr. Aayush Chadha (Frontier Specialist @ ARIA): Aayush joined ARIA from Entrepreneur First where he was building a neurotech startup. A material scientist by background, Aayush works across ARIA's initiatives in manufacturing, neurotechnologies and AI for Science.